Thursday, July 6, 2017

Art for Challenges

Hi everyone. I am officially in summer vacation mode. I've taken to reading cake baking mystery novels and home repair mystery novels ( and trying to finish book 4 of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan story,  my brain isn't handling anything too deep so its taking me forever) and watching episodes of Grace and Frankie on Netflix with my daughter. I think the busy July 4th weekend we just wrapped up has left me sliding down the hole to summer slush brain. :)
But today I did finish up a bunch of projects so I have lots of art to show you.
First of all, the challenge at Moo Mania right now is WHEELS, so I have a a page in my drawing journal with a different kind of wheel.
A water wheel.
A few weeks back on one of my husband and my trips into Boston we went to a National Historic Park called the Saugus Iron Works. This was the first functioning iron making factory in the US in the 1600's and they used a water wheel to generate the power. You can see the water wheel sketch on my page.
And the latest challenge at Try It On Tuesday is TAGS. So today I had lots of fun stamping tags. And I picked one to share over at TIOT.
I used lots of stamps and layered them. I added some words and a piece of scrap paper, as well as a little paper ephemera postage piece.
And finally I made a page to share with Elizabeth's SUMMER LOVE challenge at Art Journal Journey.
What's better than relaxing in a hammock on a hot afternoon with a good book? And maybe taking a nap after reading ? 
My hammock is bright green and I hang in between two posts of my screen porch.  That's me lounging with one of those Home Repair mystery novels right now. :)
Summer love for sure.
Happy Friday!


21 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Love the art, my fave today has to be the lovely journal page. I have been reading cafe and cake mysteries, too! Thanks for linking your lovely tag to TIOT. Enjoy your weekend, relax. Hugs, Valerie

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I thought I'd heard of a LOT of those cozy mystery novels, and as I was writing that, I realized I knew about those novels. And of course, I have read several of the cake/cookie jar Hannah Swensen mysteries by Fluke. Can't think of her first name off hand. Those types of books are not serious, are a quick read, and (thankfully) devoid of sex (but not a bit of romance on occasion).

You have worked your adorable art tail off today. You made some fabulous pieces. I absolutely adore the wheel. It's very unique, and shows your "outside the box" thinking.

I also like that tag. I wish I could make collages as beautiful as that tag. ALL that stamping, and all the layers of paper added to the richness of it.

Of course, I really adore the page you created for Art Journal Journey. That background is to die for and the fact that you used an "in-your-face color shows how hot it must be where you live. Like where I live, too. I adored seeing the books lying near the bright green hammock. Thanks for sharing it with AJJ.

chrissie said...

You have been busy in your holiday mode. Enjoy it all and make more great things

The tag is great for our challenge

Thank you for joining us at Try it on Tuesday

Love Chrissie xx

baili said...

happy vacations my friends!
glad you are enjoying your time with books,your precious daughter and doing such lovely creative work on your journal .this is so beautiful

CJ Kennedy said...

Fun journal pages. I love how the subjects are different, but they all have circles somewhere on the page. A rainy day today will be a good day to lounge in your hammock reading and napping. At least it's going to be a rainy day here. Have a relaxing weekend.

SLScheibe said...

Ohh! I really love that tag! The colours and design just go so well together! Wonderful mixed media art :)

Sandy said...

..and the cow jumped over the moon - love you style - love your vision!
sandy xx

Rosie said...

Just beautiful artwork here.

Thank you for joining us at MOO MANIA & MORE and I say also thank you for sharing your wonderful art at TRY IT ON TUESDAY.

Have a wonderful weekend

Faye said...

Such a delightful variety of art today, Erika. I love the hammock one b/c I too am in a light reading mood and mysteries are my thing. I haven't heard of the home repair ones but I will look into that. Some more intense ones I like are by Nevada Barr and C. J. Box. But they are the kind that you can't put down and are likely to keep you up late reading. I also enjoyed all of Sara Paretsky's mysteries and Margaret Maron's and finally got to the last of Sue Grafton's alphabetic mysteries. It's funny to read some of the older ones where the only access to phones is the telephone booth. Technology has changed so fast that older books have a vintage feeling.

So glad that the end of the wait is in sight or it seems to be. You manage to do some great art in spite of the traveling and waiting in doctors' lounges. Saying a prayer for you both today that the 4 weeks will fly by uneventfully and your next stage will go smoothly.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a fun and perfectly relaxed summer and your art certainly is reflecting that in all ways. xox

Divers and Sundry said...

A good book and a hammock on a summer afternoon sounds delightful! You bring it to life in your art :)

froebelsternchen said...

You have been so busy and I love your art Erika!
Thank you so much for joining Moo Mania & More , TioT and Art Journal JOureny at once!!! You really ROCK!
Happy weekend - enjoy!!!!
oxo Susi

Let's Art Journal said...

All your art pieces are wonderful and so full of happiness 😀. I love the thought of you spending your days in a hammock reading a good book and you have captured it beautifully on your page too! Wishing you a Happy Friday and Weekend! J 😊

Mrs.B said...

A great post Erika, love the journal page - very interesting to read about the Iron works being originating from the 1600s. A great tag for TioT, lots of details and a wonderful summer journal page too. Enjoy your summer break
Thanks for sharing this at TioT
Avril xx

Meggymay said...

Oh wow , you have had a wonderful arty creative time. All the projects look fantastic, I really loved the journal page with the hammock, a restful and relaxing place to read a book.
Thank you for joining us all at TioT's and sharing the great stamped image tag.
Yvonne xx

Margik said...

A great post with fantastic pieces, Erika! Thank you for joining us at Try it on Tuesday with your wonderful tag!
Mar x

Gibby Frogett said...

What a great post Erika, you have been busy.
Everything has so much wonderful detail.
Love your green hammock - and whiling away the hours in it on summers day sounds just heaven!
Your fantastic tag was a great reminder for me to write to my penfriend thanks and thanks for sharing it at 'Try It On Tuesday'.
Have a great weekend... I will catch up on your other posts asap.
Gill x

Lula said...

Thanks bunches for sharing your beautiful art with us at TioT this time Erika!
I love it!

pearshapedcrafting said...

So pleased to read that you are enjoying a lovely break! Love seeing your drawing journal! I love the idea of lazing in a hammock as you show on the AJJ page but fear I would get stuck in one! Your tag strikes a chord - I don't write nearly enough letters! It is such a lovely tag too! Thank you so much for joining us at Try It On Tuesday! Chrisx

Jeanie said...

You've been going great guns with all your art. Wonderful themes, too. And I'm pleased your vacation is being so productive!

I haven't read a baking novel in awhile. Baking, tea shops and knitting ones. They're fun. Not the deepest of the mysteries but loads of fun and the recipes look good!

Rika said...

Such a great tag!